Hoist block



Feb, 11, 1941. F. E.-$TAHL 2,231,416

HOIST BLOCK Original Filed May 26, 1936 INVENTOR /y. FRANK E.5T4HL, deceased by LILLIE M. STAML, Administrqtrix ATTO NE YS Patented Feb. 11, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE N. Y., by Lillie M. Tonawanda, N. Y.,

McKinnon Chain Corporation,

Stahl, administratrix, assignor to Columbus Tonawanda,

N. Y., a corporation of New York Original application May 26, 1936, Serial No. 81,893. Divided andthis application April 25,

1939, Serial No. 270,003

1 Claim.

The invention relates in general to hoist blocks, and inparticular to swivel connecting means located between the load hook of a hoist and the lower end of the load chain, and is a division of application Serial No. 81,893, filed May 26, 1936, by Frank E. Stahl, deceased.

The principal object of the invention has been to provide a block of this nature which shall be compact, of small dimensions, and have a substantially smooth cylindrical exterior surface with no projections.

Another object has been to provide a hook connector, the parts of which shall be formed independently of the chain and the hook, thereby making it possible to easily assemble or disassemble the parts thereof, while at the same time maintaining a strong, durable construction.

Another object has been to provide a hook block having substantially symmetrical companion parts.

Moreover, the device is so designed that the load carried by the hook is sustained by a screw which serves also to fasten the parts of the block together.

The above objects and advantages have been accomplished by the device shown in the accompanying drawing, of which:

Fig. 1 shows a fragmentary, side elevation of a hoist embodying this invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the block taken through the axis of the attaching screw and showing it connected to the load hook and the end of the load chain.

Fig. 3 is an elevation showing the inner face of one of the companion block parts.

Fig. 4 is a sectional, plan view taken on line 44 of Fig. 2.

This invention is applicable to a hoist of any type or to any use where a hook is to be attached in universal manner to the lower end of a chain.

In the drawing, 6 represents, in fragmentary manner, the casing of a hoist of any type. The load chain of the hoist is represented at ID. The free end ll of this load chain is fastened to the casing of the hoist by means of a screw l2.

The load hook M of the hoist is connected to the lower link l at the load-sustaining end of the load chain in by'means of the hoist block IS.

The invention comprises a block made up of two coacting companion parts 20 and 2| which are held together by means of a screw 22.

The parts of the block are preferably semicylindrical, as shown in Fig. 4, and the screw 22 is passed diametrically therethrough. Said screw is fitted into a screwthreaded aperture 26 formed in the part 21 and passed through a suitable aperture 23 formed in the part 20, the head 24 of the boltbeing set in below the general contour of the part 20 by being set into a counterbore 25.

Each of the parts 20 and H of the device are preferably complementary and each is formed in its abutting face with a U-shaped recess 30 which is shaped to conform rather closely to the exterior shape of the bight portion of the link [5 of the chain. When the parts are assembled, the adjacent recesses 30 form a link receiving pocket for slidably receiving said bight portion of the link. This recess is formed with a lower curved surface 43 and two side, substantially vertical surfaces 44. The surface 43 is so arranged with respect to the registering threaded hole 26 and aperture 23 that when the link I5 is in position, the inner tangential face of the lower end of the link will bear against the screw 22, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, whereby the screw will sustain the load and provide the sole fastening means for securing the parts of my device together. The body diameter of the screw is extended across the recess 30 into the part 2| of the block by providing a counterbored aperture 45, whereby the screw will offer maximum strength.

The depth of the recess 30 in each of the block parts is substantially one-half of the thickness of the link or the diameter of the stock forming the same, and the link is thereby clamped between the parts when drawn together by means of the screw 22. The upper face 3| of each of the parts is formed with a recess 32 which is substantially concentric with the lower curved end of the second-last link 33 of the chain but is struck from a radius slightly larger than the radius of the lower end of said link so that while the link is free to move within the block and within the upper end of the link 15, it is normally maintained in substantial alignment with the hoist block, as clearly shown in Fig. 2. In the face of each of the parts 20 and 2|, near the lower end thereof, is also formed a recess 34, the upper end 35 of which is substantially cylindrical, whereby a hook receiving socket is formed. The lower end of the recess terminates in a substantially semi-spherical surface 36 which is curved inwardly and forms, when the parts are assembled, a mouth M of reduced diameter. This semi-spherical surface is designed to engage the semi-spherical head 40 of the load hook M to form a ball and socket joint therewith. The mouth 4! is larger in diameter than the neck 42 of the hook, whereby the hook may have a limited universal movement with respect to the block Hi. The total length of the pocket formed by the recesses 34 is somewhat greater than the length of the head ,40 of the hook, whereby a limited amount of play between the pocket and the head is permitted which facilitates assembling and allows the hook to find its own bearing in the block when the load is applied thereto.

It will be obvious that due to the construction of the device, the load hook l4 may be easily and quickly attached to a load chain by simply sliding the bight of the lower link of the chain into the pocket formed by the recesses 30 of the companion parts of the structure and by passing the screw 22 through the parts after the head 49 of the load hook has been placed within the socket formed by the registering portions of the recess '34. In effecting such connection it is not necessary, as is customary, to open the lower link for attachment to the usual yoke provided on the load hook, whereby the maximum strength of the welded chain may be maintained, and subsequent welding of an opened link made unnecessary. Furthermore, the head 40 and neck 42 of the hoist load hook may be accurately machined and then assembled in the parts of the device Without having to permanently attach it to a yoke of any kind, such as is customary in present day constructions.

Obviously, some modifications of the details herein shown and described may be made without departing from the spirit of this invention or the scope of the appended claim, and it is to be understood, therefore, that the invention is not to be limited to the exact embodiment herein shown and described, the form shown being merely a preferred embodiment thereof.

Having thus described the invention, the following claim is made:

A hoist block for connecting the load hook and the load chain of a hoist, said hook having a semi-spherical part, a hook part and a short neck part connecting said semi-spherical and said hook parts, said block comprising two complemental parts with abutting faces shaped to define a link receiving pocket to slidably and removably receive the bight portion of a link, said. complemental parts also having their adjacent faces formed to define a hook receiving Administratriac with the Will Annewed 30 of Frank E. StahZ, Deceased. 

